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More than 25 years since the start of their partnership, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) continues to support an organization working for the welfare of hearing-impaired people.

This year, RAFI, through the Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (RAFI-DACF), will support 84 hearing-impaired children of the Gualandi Effata Catholic School for the Hearing Impaired from preschool to junior high school. The support includes uniforms, books, school supplies, and Physical Education uniform with shoes.

“I’m very happy because this support is very precious to us. I know that this support is not just for our congregation but also for the love of our hearing-impaired children. But more to the financial support is RAFI’s moral support to our mission. I’m very grateful for that,” said Sister Gilia Di Renzo, speaking on the students’ behalf. 

The school was one of the services provided by the Congregation of the Little Mission for the Deaf when they first came to the Philippines in 1988 for a mission to educate and evangelize the hearing-impaired people.

The school however, focused their intervention on the hearing-impaired children.

Gualandi has been providing services to the hearing-impaired children using the “oral-method multi-sensorial” way of teaching. This approach, according to the Elizabeth Foundation, encourages hearing-impaired children to develop speech, language, and listening skills by using all of their senses in a natural, fun, child-centered environment. What made this approach unique is it does not promote the use of sign language.

The Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-DACF) aims to improve Early Childhood Care and Development condition at the grassroots level by providing capabilities to the Local Government Units to effectively track children’s development and by constructing quality early learning centers. Its Grants Program also supports initiatives promoting the welfare and development of children in all ages.